GRAND RAPIDS – Concluding his ninth annual State of the City address with a repetitive roar a la Howard Dean, Mayor George Heartwell rallied a crowd of almost 500 people Saturday to “put children front and center.” But to ensure that no child gets left behind, he said some charitable efforts may have to be reconceived.

“Here’s where it gets sticky: In spite of all that work (on behalf of kids), many of the measures of child well-being are declining, even rapidly declining,” Heartwell said at DeVos Place. “Although good work is taking place, it tends to happen in silos. Too little of this work is connecting or aligned in ways that can drive sustainable change.”

Before his hour-long speech, which also included comments from Kent County Chairwoman Sandi Frost Parrish, Heartwell said “there will clearly be some people that have to do their work differently or go away.”

Parrish talked about a new “collective impact” effort that aims to bring various child-focused initiatives into alignment. The county in coming months plans to meet with a range of nonprofit agencies, foundations, school and government leaders and business leaders to explore changes to current service delivery models, she said.

“For the most part, these (charitable) efforts have been successful in making an isolated impact, changing one life or family at a time. Yet, we are still confronted by such startling statistics,” Parrish said. “We need better coordination of services to make differences on a much larger scale.

“This public-private collaboration could be more significant than anything we have done in recent history, because systemic challenges require systemic solutions.”

The audience included a bevy of local government staff and officials, as well state politicians and area business leaders.

Press File PhotoAndy Johnston

“There’s already a lot of money flowing here. Let’s focus it,” said Andy Johnston, vice president of government affairs for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. “We have way too many non-profits in every sector. And they are not aligned. It’s all about bang for the buck.”

Heartwell’s speech touched on the role of education in improving children’s lives, calling for partnerships between public, charter and private schools. Grand Rapids school officials said they are planning a best-practices conference with charter school leaders.

”If we really are doing this for the betterment of children, we can’t exclude anybody,” said Senita Lenear, Grand Rapids school board president. “I don’t see it as competition. I see it as moving children forward.

“My only complaint with George is he didn’t talk enough about adults, about jobs,” said Dave Bulkowski, executive director of Disability Advocates. “The best thing for a kid is to see a parent working.”

Press File PhotoDave Bulkowski

A full text of Heartwell’s address is here. He called for area groups – community service clubs, businesses, schools, religious congregations, neighborhood associations and others – to launch conversations about how to meet the needs of children.

“Every one of us has a role, no an obligation, to these children,” Heartwell said. “We say our children are our future. Let’s show them that we mean it.

“I’m done waiting for someone else somewhere else to figure this out. That’s not the Grand Rapids way. We have the capacity to do this. Are you ready? Are you ready?! Are you ready?! Are you ready?!”